Purépecha Silver

From the log kept on the August 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Pátzcuaro, in the mountains of Michoacán, is cooler and wetter than Guadalajara. Salvador Farfán García and his son Gustavo are the last remaining practitioners of the traditional Purépecha silver craft in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán. Salvador’s world renowned cousin Jesús Garcia Zavala, who also studied under the great maestro Casares, died a couple of years ago.

We decided to locate Salvador, but it was not easy. With luck, we managed to get Gustavo’s address from a jewelry retailer in Pátzcuaro. 

The walk past Once Patios.

The path led us past the Casa de las Once Patios, where a blind accordionist plays every day in hopes of getting a few coins from passersby. 

The mournful chords seemed as timeless and melancholy as the ancient adobe walls. We climbed the steep cobbled stairway to the hill above, from which there is a magnificent view of the city, mountains and lake.

Pátzcuaro at the top of the stairs.

We wandered through the quiet little residential district that sits up on the hill. At last, with some friendly help from local residents, we found Gustavo’s home. Gustavo graciously showed us his little workshop, where he makes fine silver jewelry on a tree stump using hammers, files, and other simple hand tools. 

Beth watches Gustavo at work on the stump.

Gustavo carefully forms a sphere from a flat disc.

Gustavo files a silver fish.

Then, he led us back down to the center of town to meet his father (from whom he learned the silver craft). 

Our pilgrimage took us to Pátzcuaro’s public market. Following Gustavo’s lead, we plunged into a warren of covered walkways – so dark and crowded that they seemed like underground tunnels. Finally, in a most unlikely location opposite a meat vendor’s stall, we found Salvador’s tiny little shop.

We picked out a fine selection of pieces, including a magnificent fish necklace of a kind that Purépecha brides-to-be traditionally received as a toke of their betrothal. We also chose hand-wrought silver earrings of a kind found nowhere else in the world. See them for yourself at Chiripa!  -JKM

Salvador and Gustavo Farfan with some of their creations.



Earrings available from Chiripa.

Guadalajara and Environs

From the log kept on the August 2011 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Guadalajara is a big city. It has some architectural jewels, and is welcoming in a matter-of-fact, working-city sort of way. But it is not exactly quaint or charming. We visit Guadalajara because it has cheap airline connections from Chicago and because the nearby towns of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá produce a wide variety of fine artisan crafts including hand-blown glass, metalwork and ceramics. 

Beth and Jim select metalwork at Diseno Marco Polo in Tonala.

This year, at a craft exhibition in Tlaquepaque, we met Luis Fernando Gonzalez Camerena who produces lovely dancing figures, ornaments and flowers from simple corn husks. The corn husks are cleverly fashioned to resemble traditional lilies (azucenas), cala lilies (alcatraces), gladiolas and multi-colored daisies (margaritas). These bright flowers do not wilt, and they make a wonderful display or gift – especially when placed in a handmade copper, ceramic or glass vase from Chiripa!

One evening, we had time to walk in the historic center of Guadalajara. There are many beautiful colonial buildings, including the great cathedral. Street performers entertain the citizens as they stroll in the cool evening air. While watching a performing clown, we suddenly found ourselves drawn into the act – much to the amusement of the local audience. The clown presented a heart-shaped balloon to our friend Shelley, whom he had coaxed to center stage. 

Shelly is drawn into the action on the streets of Guadalajara.

Life can take a serious turn near the stoplights in Guadalajara. When the light turns red, and traffic stops, people walk between cars selling newspapers, snacks and window-washing services. Severely disabled persons may also work their way between lanes of traffic, seeking alms. The air is hot, and thick with dust and exhaust fumes.

The window washers are equipped with spray bottles and squeegies, and expertly complete their task just as the light turns green. Drivers hand over a few pesos as their cars start to move. Once in a while, the job takes a little too long and cars start honking. Or, a window washer might drop a water bottle and retrieve it casually as an accelerating car threatens to run him over.
 

At one intersection, a street performer stood in front of traffic twirling fiery batons as cars waited for the green light. The baton-twirler’s face, neck and arms were completely covered in silver paint notwithstanding the sweltering sun. On a past trip, we saw a fire-eater swallow fiery torches as his daughter collected pesos from the waiting cars. The fire eater hugged his daughter when both of them had returned to the safety of the median strip; but from our angle it looked like he was holding the flaming torch perilously close to her long dark hair. 

-jkm